Disposable sterile bag, e.g. for breast milk

ABSTRACT

A disposable sterile plastic bag includes a liquid receiving chamber which can be accessed upon removal of a tear off strip for introducing therein liquids, such as breast milk. The bag also includes a closure member to close the bag once filled with milk. The bag further includes indicia thereon for indicating the volume of milk in the bag, and an extension away from the chamber so that information about the milk can be provided, e.g. by writing, on the bag without danger of piercing the bag. Once opened, the bag can be attached to an outlet port of a breast pump such that pumped milk is conveyed directly and sterilely into the bag, and the bag can then be stored in sub-ambient temperature until ready to be fed to a baby, at which time the bag is opened, the closure is cut off from the bag and the bag is installed on, and used as a liner for, a bag holder which is provided with a cap and nipple and acts as a feeding bottle.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/521,181 filed on Mar. 7, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,082 issuedDec. 11, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to flexible bags and, more particularly,to sterile disposable plastic bags for use in handling various liquids.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Various bags have been developed for the sterile transportation and/orstorage of samples in the medical and food fields, such as human fluidsamples, milk, water in environmental studies, etc.

Such a plastic bag is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,829 issued onOct. 15, 1996 to Lafond. As seen in FIG. 3, in this patent a disposablesterile plastic bag B comprises a two-ply sheet flexible materialconsisting of front and rear sheets 8 integrally joined at opposed sideedges 12, 12 thereof (or the bag may be made from a tube) and includingopposite upper and lower ends 10 and 14, respectively. The front andrear sheets 8, 8 are joined at the upper and lower ends 10 and 14thereof respectively by upper and lower heat seals 16 and 18,respectively, with a sealed sample receiving chamber being definedbetween the two plastic sheets 8, 8 inwardly of the bag's side edges 12,12 and upper and lower sealed ends 16 and 18. Inwardly of the upper seal16, there is defined a tear-off line 20 transversely across the twosheets 8, 8 and parallelly to the upper seal 16 thereby forming adetachable strip 24 outwardly of the tear-off line 20. The tear off line20 is punctured through both sheets 8 across the upper end 10 of the bagB and lower than the upper heat seal 16 such that the upper heat seal 16extends substantially parallelly between the tear off line 20 and anupper edge 26 of the bag B. When the liquid sample is ready to beintroduced in the bag B, the strip 24 is removed from the bag B bypulling it so as to cause rupture of the two sheets 8, 8 at the tear-offline 20. The bag's chamber is thus sterile when the sample is introducedtherein and the bag B, when so opened, defines a mouth 22 through whichthe liquid sample may be introduced in the bag B. The bag's sterilitydoes not depend on how the bag is packaged or on the integrity of thepackaging's seal as the bag is itself sterile until the strip 24 isremoved therefrom, that is until the bag B is ready to be used.

Such plastic bags may also include near an open end thereof a wire ormetal strip which is mounted transversely across the bag with endsextending past the side edges of the bag. Once the bag has been filledwith the sample to be transported/stored, the open end is folded atleast once over the bag about the wire or metal strip so as to close theopen end and the ends of the wire or metal strip are then folded at theside edges of the bag and brought around so as to extend inwardly behindthe bag. This safely and effectively encloses the sample in the plasticbag.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a novelsterile bag for holding therein liquids.

It is also aim of the present invention to provide a novel sterile baghaving indicia thereon for allowing a user to determine at leastapproximately the volume of liquid in the bag.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a novel sterilebag which includes an extension outside of the bag's liquid receivingchamber and adapted to be allow the user to provide, such as by writing,information thereon, for instance data regarding the liquid stored inthe bag.

It is a still further aim of the present invention to provide a sterilebag in combination with a breast pumping device, wherein breast milkdelivered by the pumping device is conveyed directly and sterilely intothe bag, for instance, for storage thereof.

It is a still further aim of the present invention to provide a sterilebag in combination with a feeding bottle where the bag acts as a bottleliner, whereby there is no transfer of milk from the storage bag to thefeeding bottle bag.

Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided adisposable sterile plastic bag in combination with a breast pumpingdevice, said bag being adapted to contain breast milk and to be fluidlyconnected to said pumping device, said pumping device being adapted forretrieving breast milk from a human breast such that said breast milk isdirected into said bag, said bag comprising a flexible closed enclosuremeans defining a chamber adapted to contain therein the breast milkreceived from said pumping device, said enclosure means beingpermanently sealed except at one portion thereof which comprises bagaccess means adapted to substantially seal said bag in a first positionthereof but also adapted to selectively allow in a second positionthereof the breast milk to be introduced in said chamber when it isdesired to use said bag, whereby once in said second position the breastmilk can be received in said bag with said bag is fluidly connected tosaid pumping device.

Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided adisposable sterile plastic bag in combination with a bag holder, saidbag being adapted to contain milk, said bag holder comprising a hollowbody and a cap provided with a nipple and being adapted for feeding ababy, said bag holder being adapted for receiving therein said bag, saidbag comprising a flexible closed enclosure means defining a chamberadapted to contain milk therein, said enclosure means being permanentlysealed except at one portion thereof which comprises bag access meansadapted to substantially seal said bag in a first position thereof butalso adapted to selectively allow in a second position thereof the milkto be introduced in said chamber when it is desired to use said bag,wherein, once in said second position, a top end of said bag can befolded over an upper end of said bag holder with said cap beingengageable to said upper end of said bag holder for imprisoning said topend of said bag between said cap and said upper end of said bag holdersuch that said bag hangs in said bag holder with milk being introducedin said bag at least one of before and after said bag is inserted insaid bag holder and mounted thereto.

Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided amethod of substantially sterilely handling breast milk, comprising thesteps of:

a) providing a disposable sterile bag;

b) fluidly connecting said bag to an outlet of a breast pumping device;and

c) retrieving breast milk from a human breast by way of said pumpingdevice and conveying the breast milk directly from said outlet into saidbag.

Still further in accordance with the present invention, there isprovided a method of substantially sterilely handling breast milk,comprising the steps of:

a) providing a disposable sterile bag comprising a tear off strip andproviding a bag holder;

b) removing said tear off strip to reveal a milk receiving chamber ofsaid bag; and

c) mounting said bag to said bag holder;

wherein milk is introduced in said bag between said steps b) and c) orafter step c).

Still further in accordance with the present invention, there isprovided a disposable bag in combination with a breast pumping device,said bag being adapted to contain breast milk and to be fluidlyconnected to said pumping device, said pumping device being adapted forretrieving breast milk from a human breast, said bag comprising anenclosure means defining a chamber adapted to contain therein the breastmilk received from said pumping device, said enclosure means defining anopening for allowing the breast milk to be introduced in said chamber,whereby, when said bag is fluidly connected to said pumping device, thebreast milk pumped by said pumping device is directed into said bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, referencewill now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way ofillustration a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a sterile plastic bag inaccordance with the present invention, wherein the sterile bag is shownin a closed or sealed position thereof;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the sterile bag of the presentinvention which has been opened, filled with a liquid and closed forstoring the liquid;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional sterile plastic bagadapted to hold therein liquid samples, wherein the sterile bag is shownin a partly open position; and

FIGS. 4a to 4 i illustrate various steps followed by the bag of FIGS. 1and 2 when used in a typical cycle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional sterile plastic bag B made forinstance from heavy-gauge transparent polyethylene. More particularly,the bag B can be made from an elongated sleeve which is transversely cutso as to obtain a bag of desired length or height, that is the distancebetween the opposed open ends of the severed sleeve. Such a constructionproduces a bag having no side seams which reduces the costs ofmanufacture of the bag B and increases the efficiency of the protectionafforded by the bag B. Then, the bottom end of the severed sleeve isclosed, for example, by heat sealing thereby producing a bag having anopen upper end. This upper end, in the present invention, is temporarilysealed by a further heat seal which is carried out between the upperedge of the bag and a tear off line defined transversely across the bagat its upper end, whereby when the bag is required for holding a sample,for instance for subsequent use in a laboratory blender, the tear offstrip defined between the tear off line and the upper edge of the bagcan be detached from the latter. With this construction, the bag remainssubstantially and sufficiently sterile until it is used, that is untilthe tear off strip is removed therefrom.

The bag B is initially produced and sold in a sealed position where thetear off is not detached from the rest of the bag. When a sample or thelike must be deposited in the bag B, the bag B is opened by proceedingas illustrated in FIG. 3.

More particularly, in FIG. 3, the bag B is of the two-ply type havingidentical front and rear sheets 8 integrally joined at side edges 12thereof and having opposite upper and lower ends 10 and 14,respectively. The two sheets 8 are joined in a tight sealed manner atthe upper end 10 of the bag B by known connection means, such as a heatseal 16. Similarly, the sheets 8 are sealingly joined at the lower end14 of the bag B by a lower heat seal 18.

A tear off line 20 is punctured through both sheets 8 across the upperend 10 of the bag B and lower than the upper heat seal 16 such that theupper heat seal 16 extends substantially parallelly between the tear offline 20 and an upper edge 26 of the bag B. Therefore, there is a tearoff strip 24 defined at the upper end 10 of the bag B which whendetached from the remainder of the bag B in a manner initiated in FIG.3, reveals an open mouth 22 of the bag B through which the bag B canobviously be filled with the sample intended to be stored therein.

Now turning to the present invention, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate adisposable sterile plastic bag 100 for holding therein liquids, forinstance breast milk such that it may be stored in the refrigerator orfreezer. The bag 100 has a basic structure similar to the conventionalbag B of FIG. 3 in that it comprises identical front and rear sheets 108integrally joined at side edges 112 thereof, generally as a result ofthe bag 100 being made from a tube, and having opposite upper and lowerends 110 and 114, respectively. The two sheets 108 are joined in a tightsealed manner at the upper end 110 of the bag 100 by a heat seal 116with two parallel and spaced heat seals 116 being herein shown.Similarly, the two sheets 108 are sealingly joined at the lower end 114of the bag 100 by a lower heat seal 118, also herein embodied by a pairof heat seals 118 which ensure total sterility and leakproofness of thebag 100.

A tear off line 120 is punctured through both sheets 108 across theupper end 110 of the bag 100 and lower than the upper heat seals 116such that the upper heat seals 116 extend substantially parallellybetween the tear off line 120 and an upper edge 126 of the bag 100.Therefore, there is a tear off strip 124 defined at the upper end 110 ofthe bag 100 which when detached from the remainder of the bag 100 (in amanner initiated and shown for the conventional bag B in FIG. 3),reveals an open mouth at the tear off line 120 of the bag 100 throughwhich the bag 100 can obviously be filled with, for instance, the breastmilk intended to be stored in the bag 100. The tear off strip 124preserves the sterility of the bag 100 until its manipulation.

The bag 100 further includes near the mouth thereof, that is just belowthe tear off line 120, a closure member 130 which is mountedtransversely across the bag 100 with ends 132 (acting as pull-tabs) ofthe closure member 130 extending past the side edges 112 of the bag 100.The closure member, in a known manner, includes a pair of metal stripsor wires 134 (one disposed outwardly on each of the front and rearsheets 108) and a pair of adhesive tapes 136 disposed outwardly over themetal wires 134 to attach the metal wires 134 to the front and rearsheets 108 of the bag 100 with the tapes 136 adhering to the bag 100inwardly of the side edges 112 thereof while adhering together outwardlyof the side edges 112. The closure member 130 allows for the bag 100 tobe repeatedly opened and closed without risk of loss of contents.

At least one of the front and rear sheets 108 of the bag 100 is providedthereon, for instance by printing, with indicia 138 which indicate theapproximate volume of liquid (e.g. breast milk) in the bag 100.Calibrated reference markings 140 indicate liquid levels whereas scalesof volumes, in ounces 142 and in millimeters 144, are associated witheach reference marking 140 such that the user can easily determineapproximately the volume of liquid being poured, or having beenpreviously put or now remaining, in the bag 100. Opposite each scale ofvolume indicia 142 and 144, there is provided an indication of thevolume measurement unit 146 (i.e. “OZ” for ounces and “ML” formillimeters) associated with each scale.

Also, the lower end 114 defines an extension 148 of dimensionssufficient to allow for some information to be provided on the bag 100regarding the contents thereof. The extension 148 is basically comprisedof the lower ends of both the front and rear sheets 108, that theportions thereof extending below the lower heat seals 118 (although theextension could include a single layer, such as either one of the frontand rear sheets 108). Various information may be provided, for instanceby writing, on the extension 148, such as the date of bagging on line150 and the volume of liquid (e.g. breast milk) on line 152 withreferences 154 and 156 reading, in such a case, as “DATE” and “VOLUME”,respectively.

Importantly, as the extension 148 is located outwardly of, that is notopposite to, the liquid containing chamber of the bag 100 (see FIG. 2),there is no risk or damaging or piercing the bag 100 when writinginformation at areas 150 and 152 of the extension 148, and thus there isno risk of causing a leak in the bag 100. The extension 148 beingplanar, it is possible to easily write thereon even after the bag 100has been filled with liquid.

Therefore, once the tear off strip 124 has been removed from the bag100, the bag 100 may be opened by spreading side pull-tabs 158 (one suchpull-tab extending outwardly from the middle of each adhesive tape 136)thereby avoiding contamination of the inside of the bag 100. Then, theliquid (breast milk) may be inserted in the bag 100 while allowing spacein the bag 100 for expansion of the liquid if, for instance, it isintended to be frozen. The longitudinal ends or pull-tabs 132 of theclosure member 130 (i.e. its portions extending outwardly beyond theside edges 112 of the bag 100) are then pulled away so as to draw thefront and rear sheets 108 together opposite the closure member 130thereby substantially closing the upper mouth of the bag 100. After,pressure is applied on the outside of the bag 100 to remove trapped air.The closure member 130 is then rolled down, for instance four (4) timesover, and the longitudinal ends 132 of the closure member 130 are foldedinwardly, at the side edges 112 of the bag 100, over either the frontand rear sheets 108 to prevent the “unrolling” of the closed upper endof the bag 100. This safely and effectively encloses the liquid in theplastic bag 100. In FIG. 2, the bag 100 so contains a liquid, such asbreast milk, with a level thereof being indicated at L.

Using a regular ball point pen, the user may indicate, for instance,date and volume information on lines 150 and 152 of the extension 148located at the bottom of the bag 100.

When one is ready to use the breast milk stored in the bag 100, it ispossible to use the bag 100 as a bottle liner with Playtex™-type feedingbottles of the type having a cylindrical configuration and open oppositelongitudinal ends, the upper end having outside threads screwablyengageable by inside threads of a bottle cap provided with a nipple,wherein a bag is typically introduced in the feeding bottle and theupper end of the bag is folded outwardly over the upper end of thefeeding bottle and the outside threads thereof such that, when thebottle cap is subsequently engaged to the feeding bottle the folded overupper end of the plastic bag is imprisoned between the outside threadsof the feeding bottle and the inside threads of the bottle cap.

When the bag 10 filled with milk is used with such Playtex™-type feedingbottles, the bag 100 is first completely unrolled and then the upper endof the bag 100 is cut, below the closure member 130. The rest of the bag100 containing the breast milk is then inserted in the feeding bottleand the upper end of the bag 100 is peeled outwardly over the upper rimof the feeding bottle, in a conventional manner, covering completely theoutside threads of the feeding bottle, whereafter the bottle cap (andits nipple) are screwed onto the feeding bottle and the bag.

Therefore, the milk does not have to be transferred from any storagecontainer into the conventional bag used with the feeding bottle,thereby eliminating possible contamination of the breast milk.

Furthermore, milk pumped from the breast using, for instance, a breastpump, may be fed directly into the bag 100 thereby again eliminating atransfer from the standard container attached to the pump to a storagecontainer. Indeed, milk may be pumped directly into the bag 100 whichcan then be used for storage purposes and thereafter used as a bottleliner, as described hereinabove. For this, the bag 100 is attached tothe outlet of the pumping unit, e.g. its transfer hose, by using theclosure member 130 which is brought around the outlet and tied thereatby twisting together the longitudinal ends 132 of the closure member130. Then, the pump may be activated and the resulting pumped breastmilk is conveyed into the bag 100.

FIGS. 4a to 4 i show the use of the bag 100 through a typical cycle.More particularly, FIG. 4a illustrates the removal of the safety tearoff strip 124 from the bag 100. FIG. 4b shows the outward pulling ofside pull-tabs to open the bag 100 and define an upper open mouth 122therefor. FIG. 4c illustrates an outlet tip 160 of a breast pump 162inserted in the mouth 122 of the bag 100 with the closure member 130being wrapped around the outlet tip 160 and the longitudinal ends 132 ofthe closure member 130 being shown as they are being tied together bytwisting such as to secure the upper end of the bag 100 to the outlettip 160 of the breast pump 162; once milk has been expressed from thebreast into the bag 100, the ends 132 of the closure member 130 areuntwisted and detached from each other thereby allowing the filled bag100 to be removed from the breast pump 162.

As seen in FIG. 4d, the longitudinal ends 132, now acting as pull tabs,are then pulled away from each other to close the mouth 122 of the bag100 with air being removed from the bag 100 by pressing with one'sfingers on the outside of both the front and rear sheets 108. In FIG.4e, the bag 100, while being firmly held by the longitudinal ends 132 ofthe closure member 130, is rotated e.g. 4 or 5 times) about the closuremember 130 to close the upper end of the bag 100. FIG. 4f illustratesthe longitudinal ends 132 being folded inwardly substantially about theside edges 112 of the bag 100 to “lock” the rolled-up upper end of thebag 100 and so provide a leakproof seal.

FIG. 4g shows the writing of the extraction date and extracted milkvolume at areas 150 and 152 of the extension 148. FIG. 4h illustratesthe milk being stored in a freezer 164 or refrigerator 166 and thenbeing taken out therefrom generally for consumption of the frozen orcold milk. Finally, FIG. 4i shows the bag 100 being used as a disposableliner for a feeding bottle 168, wherein the bag 100 is first cut justunder its closure member 130 (see left image in FIG. 4i) with the bagsection carrying the closure member 130 being discarded and with theremainder of the bag being inserted in the feeding bottle 168; this isfollowed by the upper end of the bag being folded outwardly over theupper rim of the bottle 168 (see middle image in FIG. 4i), and then by abottle cap 170 (provided with a nipple 172) being screwed onto the upperend of the bottle 168 thereby imprisoning the folded upper end of thebag between the bottle 168 and the bottle cap 170.

I claim:
 1. A disposable sterile plastic bag in combination with abreast pumping device, said bag being adapted to contain breast milk andto be fluidly connected to said pumping device, said pumping devicebeing adapted for retrieving breast milk from a human breast such thatsaid breast milk is directed into said bag, said bag comprising aflexible enclosure defining a chamber adapted to contain therein thebreast milk received from said pumping device, an opening in fluidcommunication with said chamber, whereby the breast milk can be receivedin said bag with said opening of said bag being fluidly connected tosaid pumping device, wherein said bag comprises a closure memberadapted, with an outlet end of said pumping device extending into saidbag, for detachably mounting said bag to said pumping device such thatbreast milk retrieved by said pumping device is directly deliveredthrough said outlet end into said bag.
 2. A disposable bag incombination with a pumping device as defined in claim 1, wherein saidbag defines opposite said enclosure indicia for providing an indicationof a volume of breast milk contained in said chamber.
 3. A disposablebag in combination with a pumping device as defined in claim 1, whereinsaid closure member is further adapted for temporarily closing saidaccess once breast milk has been introduced in said chamber.
 4. Adisposable bag in combination with a pumping device as defined in claim3, wherein said closure member is adapted to be detachably mountedaround said outlet end of said pumping device.
 5. A disposable bag incombination with a pumping device as defined in claim 4, wherein saidenclosure is permanently sealed except at one portion thereof whichcomprises a bag access adapted to substantially seal said bag in a firstposition thereof but also adapted to selectively allow in a secondposition thereof the milk to be introduced in said chamber through saidopening when it is desired to use said bag, said access comprising adetachable strip including an upper seal for sealing said bag in saidfirst position but adapted to be removed from said bag with saiddetachable strip in said second position thereby opening said bag atsaid one portion thereof for subsequent receipt of the breast milktherein, and wherein said closure member is located inwardly of saiddetachable strip such as to remain on said bag when said detachablestrip is removed therefrom.
 6. A disposable bag in combination with apumping device as defined in claim 5, wherein said enclosure comprisefront and rear rectangular sheets joined at opposed side edges thereofand at a bottom end thereof, said strip being provided at an upper endof said sheets for substantially sealing in said first position saidchamber defined between said sheets, said strip comprising a tear offline extending inwardly of said upper seal and between said upper sealand said closure member, whereby in said second position said strip isdetached from said upper end of said enclosure at said tear off linewith said upper seal being removed therefrom with said strip therebyallowing access to said chamber.
 7. A disposable bag in combination witha pumping device as defined in claim 5, wherein said closure membercomprises on each side of said enclosure an adhesive tape and a metalwire both extending transversely of said bag and having respectivelongitudinal ends thereof extending outwardly past longitudinal sideedges of said bag, said metal wire being held onto said bag by saidadhesive tape, both said adhesive tapes being adhesively attachedtogether at said longitudinal ends thereof provided outwardly of each ofsaid side edges of said bag such that, to close said access, an upperend of said bag is rolled up around said closure member and then saidlongitudinal ends of said adhesive tapes and of said metal wires arefolded inwardly over said enclosure to prevent said upper end fromunrolling.
 8. A disposable bag in combination with a pumping device asdefined in claim 7, wherein each said adhesive tape is provided with alateral pull tab located opposite said enclosure such that said bag canbe opened at said access by pulling outwardly on both lateral pull tabsin opposite directions.
 9. A disposable bag in combination with apumping device as defined in claim 3, further in combination with a bagholder which comprises a cap provided with a nipple and which is adaptedfor feeding a baby, said bag holder being hollow, said bag being exemptof an upper end thereof including said closure member and thereby nowdefining said top end, said bag holder being adapted for receivingtherein said bag containing breast milk therein, said top end beingadapted to be folded over an upper end of said bag holder with said capbeing engageable to said upper end of said bag holder for imprisoningsaid top end of said bag between said cap and said upper end of said bagholder.
 10. A disposable bag in combination with a pumping device asdefined in claim 9, wherein an outside wall of said upper end of saidbag holder comprises outside threads adapted to threadably engage insidethreads defined on an inside wall of said cap.
 11. A disposable sterileplastic bag in combination with a bag holder and with a breast pumpingdevice, said bag being adapted to contain milk, said bag holdercomprising a hollow body and a cap provided with a nipple and beingadapted for feeding a baby, said bag holder being adapted for receivingtherein said bag, said bag comprising a flexible enclosure defining achamber adapted to contain milk therein, an open top end of said bagbeing adapted to be folded over an upper end of said bag holder withsaid cap being engageable to said upper end of said bag holder forimprisoning said top end of said bag between said cap and said upper endof said bag holder such that at least part of said chamber is locatedwithin said bag holder, said open top end of said bag being adapted tobe fluidly connected to said pumping device, said pumping device beingadapted for retrieving breast milk from a human breast such that saidbreast milk is directed into said chamber, wherein said bag comprises aclosure member adapted, with an outlet end of said pumping deviceextending into said bag, for detachably attaching said bag to saidpumping device such that breast milk retrieved by said pumping device isdirectly delivered through said outlet end into said bag.
 12. Adisposable sterile plastic bag in combination with a bag holder and witha breast pumping device as defined in claim 11, wherein said enclosureis permanently sealed except at one portion thereof which comprises abag access adapted to substantially seal said top end of said bag in afirst position thereof but also adapted to selectively allow in a secondposition thereof the milk to be introduced in said chamber when it isdesired to use said bag, said access comprising a detachable stripincluding an upper seal for sealing said top end of said bag in saidfirst position but adapted to be removed from said bag with saiddetachable strip in said second position thereby opening said bag atsaid one portion thereof for subsequent receipt of milk therein, andwherein an outside wall of said upper end of said bag holder comprisesoutside threads adapted to threadably engage inside threads defined onan inside wall of said cap.
 13. A disposable sterile plastic bag incombination with a bag holder and with a breast pumping device asdefined in claim 12, wherein said bag comprises a closure member fortemporarily closing said access, in said second position, once milk hasbeen introduced in said chamber, said closure member being locatedinwardly of said detachable strip such as to remain on said bag whensaid detachable strip is removed therefrom.
 14. A disposable sterileplastic bag in combination with a bag holder and with a breast pumpingdevice as defined in claim 11, wherein said bag comprises a sectionlocated remote from said chamber and adapted for receiving thereoninformation about a content of said bag.
 15. A disposable sterileplastic bag in combination with a bag holder and with a breast pumpingdevice as defined in claim 11, wherein said bag defines opposite saidenclosure indicia for providing an indication of a volume of breast milkcontained in said chamber.
 16. A disposable sterile plastic bag incombination with a bag holder and with a breast pumping device asdefined in claim 11, wherein said closure member is further adapted fortemporarily closing said access once breast milk has been introduced insaid chamber.
 17. A method of substantially sterilely handling breastmilk, comprising the steps of; a) providing a closed disposable sterilebag comprising a tear off strip and providing a bag holder; b) removingsaid tear off strip to reveal a milk receiving chamber of said bag; c)mounting said bag to said bag holder; and d) introducing milk in saidchamber.